Thursday, April 10, 2014

Fun Storage Cabinet


Hi everybody, Think Spring!!! I am so ready for some warm weather and this week looks like it is going to be very promising! Supposed to be up in the 60's according to my weather source. 
I have been working on a fun project, it was originally a trash bin, that you could hide your trash can in. I just saw it as a fun storage cabinet from the very first. 
Sorry I couldn't find the "before" pictures. I always like to post them so that you can envision what things around your house could look like. And, you know, you don't have to get all fancy like I do on my pieces, just prepare them the way I tell you in some of my earlier posts,(sanding and priming them) and put a coat of paint on them. It gives them a whole new look! This is the first side of the cabinet. I actually had done the background months ago. I was trying a new look....and I didn't care for it, but it took me so long to do all the little checks and shading that I didn't have the desire to cover it up just yet... And am I glad I didn't! I painted these flowers on, thinking I would just gift it to some child, and I started loving it! The original painting worked great as a background, just not as THE focal point. 





Then I got to work on the other side. (I didn't like the other side either, but again,  it made a great back ground for my detail work!) It was close to Valentine's Day, so I went with hearts and of course a daisy, because daisies are my favorite flower. 





 It's was starting to take shape, .


 I love doing big funky hearts so I continued with one on the door, adding some whimsical curly cues ......and of course, polka dots!


I like how the hearts repeat on the side and door. I will admit, I was stumped for a while, trying to decide what to do on the door. I like the way it is turning out at this point.
A close up of the heart on the door.

The inside, as it is displayed at the gallery, with one of my desk art piece on the shelf. Originally, it had no shelf in it, but I thought it needed one if someone was going to use it for storage. Can you believe it, I even got the shelf straight!
A little trim work on the underside of the lid,  and it ties in with the door when it is open.


And there you have it. What do you think? Have you seen one of these at a garage sale and passed it by? Are you going to pass it by again??? This would look great in a kitchen, or bathroom for extra storage and as a focal point.  Take a look around your house and see if you can come up with something that a coat of paint would turn into a fun piece. Just about time to be hitting those garage sales again with spring here. Maybe I will get lucky again! Ta ta for now, take a risk and redo one of your old pieces of furniture. It's just paint, and if you make a mistake, you can always just paint it all one color and it will look good too! Remember Eleanor Roosevelt's words, "No one can make you feel inferior without your permission." So dust those paint brushes off and get busy! I would love to hear what you are thinking of painting.

9 comments:

  1. I love it, esp that funky heart. I have one of these wooden bins, basecoated and ready to go, that's as far as I got. :)

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    1. Thanks Lucy! I would love to see yours when you finish it. I love your work, and anyone that is reading this and is not familiar with Lucy's work, needs to click on her name and check out her web site! Wonderful things! Thanks again, Lucy.

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  2. Oh my gosh I just love your style!!!! I'm renovating my very first furniture project. I'm repainting an old hutch and cabinet to fit together... I've matched the moulding, added feet and finally found shelves that will fit once I'm ready. I want to paint it in this style but being this free with my creativity is truly a challenge for me even though I went to art school lol!

    I wonder if you could give me some advice? I have a deep purple I want to use... originally I chose a light silvery blue to go with it but I don't like that now... now I feel a berry red calling to me... I'm going to continue looking for inspiration... Just wondering though... Creating something this beautiful on a background of deep purple... I wonder if it would pop as much? I wonder if green doors would look hideous lol! Any words of wisdom? -Thanks!
    -Jen

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    1. Thanks you so much jennifer! I l love seeing comments like yours when I wake up! I would be glad to give you my thoughts on your project. Take some pictures and send them to my email, along with some pictures of the room you are going to be putting it in. Send it to my email csoconnor1@gmail.com Then maybe later we can visit on the phone, so include your number too. It sounds like a fun project. The hardest part is getting started with the base coat, but remember, if you don't like it, you can just paint over it. It is just paint! ~Carolyn

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    2. Hi Carolyn!

      Thanks for writing back and I'm glad I brightened your day :) I'm preparing an email with pictures right now and should send it off to you within the next hour. My email is riverswebb7@yahoo.com, so please add it to your address book to make sure I don't go to spam. I'm excited to talk to you!!! -Jen

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    3. Hi Carolyn :)

      Sorry we couldn't meet up to talk hutch. No hard feelings :) Still absolutely LOVE your work!!!! I'll try to send photos of my hutch when complete!

      Thanks again :)
      Jen

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  5. It is absolutely gorgeous you should be so proud of yourself. I would certainly buy it if I could it

    Kath

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